


Crushes

by Josefina



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, Brotherly Bonding, First Crush, Fluff, M/M, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23373211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josefina/pseuds/Josefina
Summary: “So,” Barley starts of casually “what’s her name?”Ian’s head snaps up in surprise, and Barley can barely hold back a laugh at his brother’s panicked expression. Ian was a cute kid for sure, but Barley is sure he was born without the ability to hold a poker face.“W-What name?”“The name” Barley answers with a cocky grin “of the girl that your thinkin’ about."-In which Ian has a crush
Relationships: Barley Lightfoot & Ian Lightfoot
Comments: 12
Kudos: 164





	Crushes

Barley could say, without exaggeration, that he was probably the world's best older brother. In fact, it said so, on a mug Ian had given him in the 7th grade

For the past few weeks, Ian had been making it incredibly obvious that he had some sort of crush going on. Like, staring off into the distance during car rides or doodling hearts in his little notebook type obvious. Even Bronco, oblivious as he is, had managed to take notice, casually remarking over breakfast that “There’s definitely somethin' on that kid’s mind. Or maybe even some _one_.” followed by an obnoxious horse laugh. Barley, at the time, had just rolled his eyes but silently agreed.

Mom had just shrugged her shoulders and said “Well he’s around that age”, but Barley could tell, she seemed thoughtful about it. Everyone seemed to know that Ian was being super obvious about his new infatuation.

Well, everyone except Ian.

Thus came the perfect opportunity to begin his quest now that two were alone for a short ride in Guinevere II (Mom had asked them to pick up some groceries). Barley figured it was a good a time as ever to go into big brother mode. After all, who wouldn’t want romantic advice from their older brother?

The world's _best_ older brother at that. 

“So,” Barley starts of casually “what’s her name?”

Ian’s head snaps up in surprise, and Barley can barely hold back a laugh at his brother’s panicked expression. Ian was a cute kid for sure, but Barley is sure he was born without the ability to hold a poker face.

“W-What name?”

“The name” Barley answers with a cocky grin “of the girl that your thinkin’ about.”

Ian turns bright red and begins to sputter “What name? I mean, whose name? I mean-", and Barley just can’t hold back any longer. He releases a belly of a laugh that causes him to veer the steering wheel sharply to the left, swerving Guinevere II off course.

“Hey!” Ian cries out from his spot in the passenger seat. “Be careful!”

"Whoops!" Barley swerves back on the road (it had actually taken months to clear up those traffic violations and he really can’t afford another one) ignoring the honks of irritated drivers behind him. No matter! The important thing was his suspicions about Ian had been 100% confirmed. His little brother had a crush! “Oh man!" he laughs excitedly at Ian "you've got it bad! Oh oh, what is she?"

Ian groans in embarrassment _"Barley-"_

“Is she an elf?”

“No!”

“Oh man, is she a centaur?”

“No!”

“Ooh how about an ogre?”

“Bar- _leey_ ” Ian whines while sinking down into his seat; his normally blue face burning a bright crimson.

Barley laughs at his little brother's misfortune (which was actually quite entertaining) but coincides nevertheless. “Alright, alright,” he shakes his head “I’ll give it a rest.”

Ian lets out a breath. “ _Thank you_ -"

“ _If_ -and only if- you tell me what her name is.”

“Ugggh” Ian groans in annoyance and sinks further down into his seat. What a drama queen that kid was.

“C’mon” Barley playfully urges him. “You can tell your big brother.”

Ian rolls his eyes in the sort of you’re-really- being-so-annoying-right-now type way little brothers tend to do, but gives him an answer none the less. “Fine. It’s Theodore.”

“Theodore?” Barley echos, before chuckling “Well that’s a weird name for a girl!” “

Yeah?” Ian quirks an eyebrow, answering the question as if it were obvious. “That’s because he’s a guy.”

“Oh” Barely blinks. Well, that was new. In his planning of the "give little brother spectacular dating advice" quest, he hadn't really considered the option of said little brother not liking girls. Though he guesses that serves him right for being unprepared during a campaign. One minute you know what you're doing and the next it's surprise! Huge gelatinous cube.

"So, Theodore is a guy?"

"I mean yeah?" Ian smiles a little. “Did you really think a Theodore was a girl? Cause I don’t know many girl Theodores.”

“Well I-" Barley awkwardly searches for the right words. What exactly was one supposed to say in this situation? If they were even _supposed_ to say anything. “I just...didn’t know that you liked guys in that sort of way." He pauses uneasily, before quickly adding "Not that there’s anything wrong with that! I just...didn’t know.”

Ian (thankfully) doesn’t seem phased. In fact, he just smiles and shakes his head. “Wow, and here I thought it was obvious.”

“Obvious that... you’re gay?”

“Bisexual.” Ian corrects. “I like girls too.”

"Huh." Barley remarks, taking in that information. "So.. you like guys and girls?”

“Yeup.”

 _Huh_. Barley mulls over the fact. Maybe it had been obvious that Ian was gay (well bi) for a while and he just hadn’t seen it? Was there something you were even supposed to look for? Or maybe it was just one of those things you couldn't see and you just had a wait a long time for it come out? Is _that_ why it was called coming out? Was it actually obvious because Ian wore so much flannel-

"Barley!"

Barley, having been jerked out of his thoughts, glances over to his brother, who just smiles and points out the window. “Looks like we’ve arrived at our quest.”

"Oh." Barley blinks and glances up at the supermarket. Right...that had been the whole point of their journey.

"No worries." Ian begins to unbuckle his seat belt "I'll get the stuff-"

"Ian wait"

Ian pauses, looking up at Barley expectantly. 

"You know-" Barley starts, struggling to get out the right words. "You know I don't..mind right? That...you like guys?"

Ian gives a small smile, and answers like its the most obvious thing in the world "Yeah Barley, I know."

"I just...I mean you're my brother so I-"

" _Barley."_ Ian cuts him off and gives him another tiny-yet heartfelt- smile. _"I know."_

Barley-heart feeling extra heavy at the moment- gives a small smile back. Yeah maybe he had overthought things...a little.

Aw what the heck

"C'mere you!" Barley cries and lunges over, tacking Ian into a one-armed hug. Ian resists at first _-"Hey!-Barley! C'mon Stop!"_ -before finally breaking out into peals of laughter. 

And the world's best big brother has struck again.


End file.
